Disclaimer:
This article is a direct street report from our correspondent and has not been edited by the 1st Responder newsroom.

Posted on 4/12/2018

By CITY OF ATLANTA FIRE RESCUE DEPT.

Atlanta, GA - Racial barriers would be broken in 1963 as 16 black men were hired for the position of firefighter for the Atlanta FD. The new firefighters received 75 hours of training at the Atlanta Training Facility under the supervision of Chief R.N. McGill. This initial training was done at the recruits' own expense and own time, as they were not yet employees of the city. This was the current policy at the time and not just done as a resistance to integrate the Fire Department.

Upon completion of training, all 16 men were assigned to Station 16 on what was then known as Simpson Rd. NW, (now called Jospeh E. Boone). They were under the command of white officers and white fire apparatus operators. This new station was in a community which had fought for years to see blacks hired as firefighters.

Today, the fire department is an equal opportunity employer and has grown into an establishment that welcomes men and women of all backgrounds, races, colors and cultures to protect the residents and visitors to this city.